Humans have cultivated rice for nearly 10,000 years—thousands of years before what many archeologists consider the rise of civilizations. Rice has formed the backbone of empires, the basis of political alliances, and to this day remains a primary food staple for some 3.5 billion people. In 2019, when Johnson opened FieldTrip, a fast-casual restaurant in Harlem, a sign hung on the wall declaring “Rice Is Culture.” In his latest cookbook, The Simple Art of Rice: Recipes from Around the World for the Heart of Your Table, the James Beard award–winning…
